Registration Rights Agreement dated March 23, 2004



 Exhibit 4.11 
  
 REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT 
  

THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of March 23, 2004, by and between NANOPHASE
TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation located at 1319 Marquette Drive, Romeoville, Illinois (the “Company”), and Altana Chemie AG, a German corporation (the “Purchaser”). 
  
 This Agreement is made pursuant to the Stock Purchase Agreement, dated on or
about the date hereof (the “Stock Purchase Agreement”), by and between the Company and Purchaser, pursuant to which the Company is issuing and selling up to 1,256,281 shares of its common stock, US$.01 par value per share (the
“Common Stock” or the “Shares”) to Purchaser. 
  
 The Shares are being offered and sold to Purchaser without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), in reliance upon the exemption from registration provided
by Section 4(2) of the Securities Act and the provisions of Rule 506 of Regulation D, promulgated under the Securities Act. In order to induce Purchaser to enter into the Stock Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide to Purchaser (and
their direct and indirect permitted transferees, if any) the registration rights set forth in this Agreement with respect to the resale of the Shares. The execution and delivery of this Agreement is a condition to the Closing under the Stock
Purchase Agreement. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meaning provided in the Stock Purchase Agreement. 
  
 In consideration of the foregoing premises and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged,
the parties, intending to be legally bound, agree as follows: 
  
 SECTION 1 
  
 Registration Rights

  
 1.1. Filing of Form S-3 Resale Registration
Statement. As soon as practicable following the second anniversary of the date hereof, the Company shall file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC” or the “Commission”) a registration
statement on Form S-3 pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act, or, in the event that Form S-3 is unavailable to the Company, a registration statement on such other SEC Form that is available to the Company (together with any exhibits,
amendments or supplements thereto, and any documents incorporated by reference therein, the “Registration Statement”), with respect to the resale of the Shares, and any securities of the Company issued as a dividend or other
distribution with respect to, or in exchange for or in replacement of, the Shares. The securities described in the preceding sentence are collectively referred to herein as the “Registrable Securities;” provided, that the
term “Registrable Securities” shall not include securities transferred to a person other than a permitted transferee. 
  
 1.2. Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Company shall, subject to Section 6 hereof, use its best efforts to cause the Registration
Statement to become effective as soon as practicable and in no event later than three (3) months after the date of filing of the Registration Statement, and shall use its commercially reasonable best efforts to keep the Registration Statement
continuously effective from the date such Registration Statement becomes effective until the earlier of (i) the date on which all Shares have been resold under such Registration Statement and (ii) the date on which all Registrable Securities








 may be resold without restriction or limitation. The obligations under this Section will not apply to any delay or
complication caused in whole or in part by Purchaser. 
  
 1.3.
Supplements; Amendments. Subject to Section 6 hereof, the Company shall supplement or amend the Registration Statement, (i) as required by Form S-3, including, without limitation, the instructions applicable to Form S-3, or by the
Securities Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or the rules and regulations promulgated under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, respectively, and (ii) to include in the Registration
Statement any additional securities that become Registrable Securities by operation of the definition thereof. The Company shall furnish to the holders of the Registrable Securities, or their permitted transferees, as appropriate (collectively, the
“Holders”), to which the Registration Statement relates copies of any such supplement or amendment sufficiently in advance (but in no event less than five (5) business days in advance) of its use and/or filing with the Commission to
allow the Holders a meaningful opportunity to comment thereon with respect to the information contained therein regarding the Holders and any plan for resale of the Registrable Securities. The Holders acknowledge or shall acknowledge that they have
supplied the information regarding themselves and their plan of resale in the Registration Statement within five (5) business days prior to the filing of the Registration Statement and hereby waive or shall waive any notice of the initial filing of
the Registration Statement, and such Holders and their successors and assigns shall promptly notify the Company of any changes in such information. 
  
 SECTION 2 
  
 Expenses 
  
 The Company shall pay all expenses, fees and costs incurred in connection with the preparation, filing, distribution and effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any supplements or amendments thereto, whether or not the Registration
Statement becomes effective, and whether all, none or some of the Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to the Registration Statement, including, without limitation, all registration and filing fees, printing expenses, fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Company, fees and state securities, or “blue sky,” fees and expenses, and the expense of any special audits incident to or required by, or in connection with the filing and effectiveness of the Registration Statement. The
Holders shall pay all underwriting fees and discounts, selling commissions, brokerage fees and stock transfer taxes applicable to the Registrable Securities sold by such Holder and the fees and expenses of their counsel, if any. 
  
 SECTION 3 
  
 Registration Procedures 
  
 3.1. Registration. The Company will advise the Holders as to the status of the preparation, filing and effectiveness of the Registration
Statement and, at the Company’s expense, will do the following: 
  
 (a) furnish to each Holder a copy of the Registration Statement (including all exhibits thereto) and any prospectus forming a part thereof and any amendments and supplements thereto (including all documents
incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference therein prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and including each preliminary prospectus) and any other prospectus filed under Rule 424 under the Securities Act, which documents,
other than documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference, will be subject to the review of the Holders and any such underwriter for a period of at least three (3) business days, and the Company shall not file the Registration Statement
or such prospectus or any amendment or 







 supplement to the Registration Statement or prospectus if any Holder shall reasonably object within three
(3) business days after the receipt thereof. A Holder shall be deemed to have reasonably objected to such filing only if the Registration Statement, amendment, prospectus or supplement, as applicable, as proposed to be filed, contains a material
misstatement or omission with respect to such Holder or its plan of resale; 
  
 (b) furnish to each Holder one conformed copy of the Registration Statement and of each amendment and supplement thereto (in each case including all exhibits) and such number of copies of the prospectus forming a part
of the Registration Statement (including each preliminary prospectus) and any other prospectus filed under Rule 424 under the Securities Act, in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act, and such other documents, including, without
limitation, documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference prior to the effectiveness of such Registration Statement, as each of the Holders or any such underwriter, from time to time may reasonably request; 
  
 (c) to the extent practicable, promptly upon the filing of
any document that is to be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or prospectus forming a part thereof subsequent to the effectiveness thereof, and in any event no later than five (5) business days after such document is filed
with the Commission, provide copies of such document to the Holders, if requested, and make representatives of the Company available for discussion of such document and other customary due diligence matters; and provide promptly to the Holders upon
request any document filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 and Section 15 of the Exchange Act; 
  
 (d) make available at reasonable times for inspection by the Holders, and any attorney, accountant, financial adviser or other
representative (collectively, “Representatives”) retained by the Holders, subject to the recipient’s prior written agreement to keep such information confidential and not use or disclose it, all financial and other records,
pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company and cause the officers, directors and employees of the Company to supply all information reasonably requested by the Holders or their respective Representatives in connection with the
preparation, filing and effectiveness of the Registration Statement; 
  
 (e) use its commercially reasonable best efforts (i) to register or qualify all Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement under state securities, or “blue sky,” laws of such States of the
United States of America where required and where an exemption is not available and as the Holders of Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement shall reasonably request, (ii) to keep such registration or qualification in effect
for so long as the Registration Statement is required to be effective hereunder, and (iii) to take any other action which may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable the Holders to consummate the disposition of the securities to be sold by
the Holders in such jurisdictions, consistent with the plan of distribution described in the prospectus included in the Registration Statement, except that the Company shall not for any such purpose be required to qualify generally to do business as
a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction where it is not so qualified, or to execute a general consent to service of process in effecting such registration, qualification or compliance, unless the Company is already subject to service in such
jurisdiction and except as may be required by the Securities Act or applicable rules or regulations thereunder; 
  
 (f) use its commercially reasonable best efforts to cause all Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be
registered or qualified with or approved by all other applicable Governmental Authorities as may be necessary, in the opinion of counsel to the 







 Company and counsel to the Holders of Registrable Securities, to enable the Holders thereof the
consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities; 
  
 (g) subject to Section 6 hereof, promptly notify each Holder of Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement (i) upon discovery that, or upon the occurrence of any event as a result of which, the
prospectus forming a part of the Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light
of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation of proceedings for that purpose, (iii) of any
request by the Commission for (A) amendments to the Registration Statement or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, or (B) supplements to the prospectus forming a part of the Registration
Statement, or (C) additional information, or (iv) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the registration, qualification or exemption from registration or qualification of any of the Registrable
Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation of any proceeding for such purpose, and at the request of any such Holder promptly prepare and file an amendment to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the prospectus as the Company
may deem necessary so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of such securities, such prospectus shall not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and furnish to each Holder a reasonable number of copies of such supplement to, or amendment of, such registration statement and prospectus, and,
in the event of a stop order, use its commercially reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of any the Registration Statement, or the lifting of any suspension of the qualification (or exemption from
qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction; 
  
 (h) if reasonably requested by any Holder or if required by law or SEC or other applicable rule or regulation, promptly incorporate in the
Registration Statement such appropriate information as the Holder may reasonably request to have included therein by filing a Form 8-K, or filing a supplement to the prospectus, to reflect any change in the information regarding the Holder, and make
all required filings with the Commission in respect of any offer or sale of Registrable Securities or any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or related prospectus; 
  
 (i) otherwise use its commercially reasonable best efforts to comply with all applicable rules and
regulations, and make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement covering the period of at least 12 months, but not more than 18 months, beginning with the first full calendar month after the
effective date of the Registration Statement, which earnings statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 promulgated thereunder and to provide promptly to the Holders upon request any document filed by
the Company with the Commission pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 and Section 15 of the Exchange Act; and 
  
 (j) use its commercially reasonable best efforts to cause all Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement to be listed
on Nasdaq and each securities exchange on which securities of the same class are then listed, or, if not then listed on any securities exchange or Nasdaq, to be eligible for trading in any over-the-counter market or trading system in which
securities of the same class are then traded. 







 SECTION 4 
  

Indemnification 
  
 4.1. Indemnification by the Company. The Company will indemnify: 
  
 (a) each of the Holders, as applicable, 
  
 (b) each of the Holder’s officers, directors, members and partners, and 
  
 (c) each individual, partnership, joint stock company,
corporation, trust, unincorporated organization, government agency or political subdivision (each of the foregoing, a “Person”) controlling each of the Holders within the meaning of SEC Rule 405 under the Securities Act, 

 
 with respect to the Registration Statement, against all expenses, claims, losses, damages
and liabilities (or actions, investigations or proceedings in respect thereof) (collectively, a “Claim”) arising out of or based on any actual or alleged untrue statement of a material fact, or any omission of a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements included therein not misleading, contained in the Registration Statement, any prospectus or other offering document (including any related registration statement,
notification or the like) incident to the registration, qualification or compliance, or any violation by the Company of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or any other laws or any rule or regulation thereunder applicable to the Company and
relating to action or inaction required of the Company in connection with any such registration, qualification or compliance, and will reimburse each of the Holders, each of its officers, directors, members and partners, and each Person controlling
each of the Holders, for any legal and any other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating and defending any such Claim; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such
Claim (i) arises out of or is based on any untrue statement or omission based upon written information furnished to the Company by the Holders or their Representatives and stated to be specifically for use therein, or (ii) is finally judicially
determined to have resulted primarily from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of any person or entity set forth in subsections (a) through (c) above. 
  
 4.2. Indemnification by the Holders. Each of the Holders will, if Registrable Securities held by it are included in the securities as to
which such Registration Statement is being effected, indemnify the Company, each of its directors and officers, and each Person who “controls” the Company within the meaning of SEC Rule 405 under the Securities Act, against all Claims
arising out of or based on any actual or alleged untrue statement of a material fact, or any omission or a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statement included or incorporated therein not misleading,
contained in the Registration Statement, prospectus, or other offering document made by or on behalf of such Holder, and will reimburse the Company, its directors, officers, partners, members or control Persons for any legal or any other expenses
reasonably incurred in connection with investigating and defending any such Claim, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) or omission (or alleged omission) is made in the
Registration Statement, prospectus or other document in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Holder and stated to be specifically for use therein; provided, however, that
the obligations of each of the Holders hereunder shall be limited to an amount equal to the net proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement. 







 4.3. Procedures. Each party entitled to indemnification under this Agreement (each, an
“Indemnified Party”) shall give notice to the party required to provide indemnification (the “Indemnifying Party”) promptly after such Indemnified Party has actual knowledge of any Claim as to which indemnity may be
sought, and shall permit the Indemnifying Party to assume the defense of any such Claim; provided that counsel for the Indemnifying Party, who shall conduct the defense of such Claim, shall be approved by the Indemnified Party (whose
approval shall not unreasonably be withheld), and the Indemnified Party may participate in such defense at such party’s expense (unless the Indemnified Party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict of interest between the
Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party in such action, in which case the fees and expenses of one such counsel for all Indemnified Parties shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party), and provided further that the failure of any
Indemnified Party to give notice as provided herein shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations under this Agreement unless the Indemnifying Party is materially prejudiced thereby. No Indemnifying Party, in the investigation or
defense of any such Claim shall, except with the consent of each Indemnified Party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement or compromise which does not include an
unconditional release of the Indemnified Party from all liability in respect to such Claim. Each Indemnified Party shall furnish such information regarding itself or the Claim in question as an Indemnifying Party may reasonably request in writing
and as shall be reasonably required in connection with the investigation and defense of such Claim. 
  
 4.4. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unavailable to
an Indemnified Party with respect to any Claim, then the Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party hereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such loss, liability,
claim, damage or expense in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party on the one hand and of the Indemnified Party on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such
Claim, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such Claim (i) arises out of or is based on any untrue statement or omission based
upon written information furnished to the Company by the Holders or their Representatives and stated to be specifically for use therein, or (ii) is finally judicially determined to have resulted primarily from the gross negligence or willful
misconduct of any person or entity set forth in Section 4.1(a) through 4.1(c) above. The relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and of the Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue (or alleged
untrue) statement of a material fact or the omission (or alleged omission) to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Indemnifying Party or by the Indemnified Party and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission, and provided that each Holder shall not be required to contribute, in the aggregate, more than the net proceeds received by the Holders from the sale of the Registrable
Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement. 
  
 SECTION 5

  
 Provision of Information by the Holders 

 
 Each of the Holders whose Registrable Securities are included in the
Registration Statement shall furnish to the Company such information regarding such Holder as the Company may reasonably request in writing and as shall be reasonably required or advisable in connection with any registration, qualification or
compliance referred to in this Agreement, and shall promptly notify the Company if such information becomes incorrect or misleading, or requires amendment or updating. Each of the Holders agrees that the plan of distribution included in any
prospectus relating to the Registrable Securities shall 







 be as set forth on Schedule A-1 hereto and that such Holder will not resell any Registrable Securities pursuant to
the Registration Statement in any manner other than as provided therein or herein. The other information regarding the Holders required for the initial filing of the Registration Statement has been or will be provided by each Holder. Each Holder
represents, warrants and covenants to the Company that the information regarding such Holder that appears in the Stock Purchase Agreement and/or Schedule A-2 is accurate and complete in all material respects consistent with Commission Regulation
S-K, Items 507 and 508. The Purchaser will confirm promptly by delivery of a signed copy of Schedule A-2, the sale of any Shares pursuant to Rule 144 or the Registration Statement. 
  
 SECTION 6 
  
 Holdback; Postponement 
  
 Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Agreement, if (a) there is material non-public information regarding the Company which the Company’s
Board of Directors reasonably and in good faith determines not to be in the Company’s best interest to disclose and which the Company is not otherwise required to disclose, or (b) there is a extraordinary business opportunity (including but not
limited to the acquisition or disposition of assets (other than in the ordinary course of business) or any merger, consolidation, tender offer or other similar extraordinary transaction not in the ordinary course of business) available to the
Company which the Company’s Board of Directors reasonably and in good faith determines not to be in the Company’s best interest to disclose, then the Company may (upon not less than two trading days prior written notice by same day
delivery of fax or hand delivery) postpone or suspend filing or effectiveness of a registration statement for a period not to exceed 45 days, provided that the Company may not postpone or suspend filing or effectiveness of a registration
statement for more than 90 days in the aggregate during any 365-day period and there shall be an aggregate of not more than two (2) suspensions during any 365-day period; provided, however that no postponement or suspension shall be permitted
for consecutive 45 day periods arising out of the same set of facts, circumstances or transactions. 
  
 SECTION 7 
  
 Rule 144 Reporting, Etc. 
  
 7.1. SEC
Reporting Compliance. 
  
 (a) With a view to making
available the benefits of certain rules and regulations of the Commission which may at any time permit the sale of the Registrable Securities to the public without registration, through the second anniversary of this Agreement, the Company will:

  
 (i) make and keep “current public
information” regarding the Company available, as defined in Commission Rule 144(c) under the Securities Act; 
  
 (ii) use its commercially reasonable best efforts to file with the Commission in a timely manner all SEC Reports and other filings and
documents required of the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and otherwise; and 
  
 (iii) so long as a Holder owns any Registrable Securities, furnish the Holder forthwith upon request a written statement by the Company as
to its compliance with the reporting requirements under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including compliance with SEC Rule 144(c), a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the Company, and such other reports and documents of
the Company and other information in the possession of, or 







 
reasonably obtainable by, the Company as a Holder may reasonably request in availing itself of any rule or regulation of the Commission allowing a Holder to
sell any such securities without registration. 
  
 (b) The Company
shall file the reports required to be filed by it under the Exchange Act and shall comply with all other requirements set forth in the instruction to Form S-3 in order to allow the Company to be eligible to file registration statements on Form S-3.

  
 7.2. Stock Purchase Agreement Covenants. The
Company will comply with its covenants under Section 4 of the Stock Purchase Agreement, which are incorporated herein by this reference. 
  
 SECTION 8 
  
 Miscellaneous 
  
 8.1. Assignment. The registration rights set forth herein may be assigned, in whole or in part, to any transferee of Registrable Securities permitted in accordance with the Stock Purchase Agreement,
which transferee, upon registration on the Company’s or its transfer agent’s books and records as a holder of record of Registrable Securities, shall be considered thereafter to be a Holder (provided that any transferee who is not an
affiliate of Purchaser shall be a Holder only with respect to such Registrable Securities so acquired and any stock of the Company issued as a dividend or other distribution with respect to, or in exchange for or in replacement of, such Registrable
Securities) and shall be bound by all obligations and limitations of this Agreement and the Stock Purchase Agreement. 
  
 8.2. Section Headings. The titles and headings of the sections and subsections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall
not be deemed to constitute a part thereof. 
  
 8.3.
Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware. 
  
 8.4. Notices. 
  
 (a) All communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered by facsimile, by hand, by reliable overnight
delivery service such as UPS or FedEx or by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid: 
  
 (i) if to the Company, to Nanophase Technologies Corporation, 1319 Marquette Drive, Romeoville, Illinois 60446, Facsimile: (630) 771-0825,
Attention: Joseph Cross, or at such other address as it may have furnished in writing to Purchaser; 
  
 (ii) if to Purchaser, at the addresses listed on Schedule 1 hereto, or at such other addresses as may have been furnished the Company in
writing. 
  
 (b) Any notice so addressed shall be
deemed to be given (i) if delivered by hand, on the date of such delivery, (ii) if sent by reliable overnight delivery service such as UPS or FedEx, on the first business day following the date of delivery to such service for overnight delivery,
(iii) if delivered by facsimile, on the date of such facsimile, or (iv) if mailed by registered or certified mail, on the third business day after the date of such mailing. 
  
 8.5. Successors and Assigns; No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be
binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of each of the parties. No other 







 
person is intended to or shall have any rights or remedies hereunder, whether as a third part beneficiary or otherwise. 
  
 8.6. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or
more identical counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which shall be one and the same agreement. Any signature that is delivered by facsimile signature page shall be valid and binding, with the same force and effect as if
an original, manually signed counterpart. 
  
 8.7.
Remedies. Each Holder of Registrable Securities, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Agreement. The Company
agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby agrees to waive the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law
would be adequate. 
  
 8.8. Severability. In the
event that any provision contained herein is unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect. 
  
 8.9. Delays or Omissions. It is agreed that no delay or omission to exercise any right, power or remedy accruing to the Holders, upon any
breach or default of the Company under this Agreement, shall impair any such right, power or remedy, nor shall it be construed to be a waiver of any provision hereof, or of any similar breach or default thereafter occurring; nor shall any wavier of
any single breach or default be deemed a waiver of any other breach or default theretofore or thereafter occurring. It is further agreed that any waiver, permit, consent or approval of any kind or character by a Holder of any breach or default under
this Agreement, or any waiver by a Holder of any provisions or conditions of this Agreement, must be in writing and shall be effective only to the extent specifically set forth in the writing, and that all remedies, either under this Agreement, or
by law or otherwise afforded to a Holder, shall be cumulative and not alternative. 
  
 8.10. Attorney’s Fees. If any action at law or in equity is necessary to enforce or interpret the terms of this Agreement, the prevailing party shall be entitled to reasonable attorney’s fees,
costs and necessary disbursements in addition to any other relief to which such party may be entitled. 
  
 8.11. Entire Agreement; Amendment. This Agreement and the Stock Purchase Agreement and the other documents contemplated therein constitute
the entire understanding and agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior understandings, written or otherwise, among such parties. This Agreement may be amended only in a writing signed by the Company
and the Holders of a majority of the then outstanding Registrable Securities. 
  
  
 [Signature Pages to Follow] 







 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the day
and year first set forth above. 
  
  
  
  

			
	 Altana Chemie AG
 a German
corporation
  

		
	By:	 	 /s/    Matthias L. Wolfgruber

	 	 	

	 	 	 Matthias L. Wolfgruber
 President & CEO

		
	By:	 	 /s/    Martin Babilas

	 	 	

	 	 	 Martin Babilas
 Vice President Strategic Business Development

	  
  
  
  
 Nanophase Technologies Corporation
  

		
	By:	 	 /s/    Joseph Cross

	 	 	

	 	 	 Joseph Cross, CEO










 SCHEDULE A-1 
  
 Plan of Distribution 
  
 Any or all of the shares offered by the selling stockholders may be offered for sale and sold by, or on behalf of, the selling stockholders from time to
time in varying amounts, including in block transactions, on the Nasdaq Stock Market, or the over-the-counter market, in privately negotiated transactions, though put or call options transactions relating to the shares, through short sales, or a
combination of such methods of sale, at prices prevailing in such market or as may be negotiated at the time of the sale. The shares may be sold by the selling stockholders directly to one or more purchasers, through agents designated from time to
time or to or through broker-dealers designated from time to time. In the event the shares are publicly offered through broker-dealers or agents, the selling stockholders may enter into agreements with respect thereto. Such broker-dealers or agents
may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the selling stockholders, and any such broker-dealers or agents that participate in the distribution of the shares may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning
of the Securities Act, and any profit on the sale of the shares by them and any discounts and commissions might be deemed to be underwriting discounts or commissions under the Securities Act. Any such broker-dealers and agents may engage in
transactions with, and perform services for, the Company. At the time a particular offer of shares is made by the selling stockholders, to the extent required, a prospectus supplement will be distributed which will set forth the aggregate number of
shares being offered, and the terms of the offering, including the public offering price thereof, the name or names of any broker-dealers or agents, any discounts, commissions and other items constituting compensation from, and the resulting net
proceeds to, the selling stockholders. 
  
 As used herein,
“selling stockholders” includes donees and pledgees selling shares received from a named selling shareholder after the date of this prospectus. 
  
 Selling stockholders also may resell all or a portion of the shares in open market transactions in reliance on Rule 144 under the Securities Act, provided
they meet the criteria and conform to the requirements of such rule. 
  
 In order to comply with the securities laws of certain states, sales of shares offered hereby to the public in such states may be made only through broker-dealers who are registered or licensed in such states. Sales of shares offered hereby
must also be made by the selling stockholders in compliance with other applicable state securities laws and regulations. 







  
 IN WITNESS WHEREOF,
the undersigned have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the day and year first set forth above. 
  
  
  
  

			
	 Altana Chemie AG
 a German
corporation
  

		
	By:	 	 /s/    Gerd Büscher

	 	 	

	 	 	 Gerd Büscher
 Chief Financial Officer

		
	By:	 	 /s/    Martin Babilas

	 	 	

	 	 	 Martin Babilas
 Vice President Strategic Business Development

	  
  
  
  
 Nanophase Technologies Corporation
  

		
	By:	 	 /s/    Joseph Cross

	 	 	

	 	 	 Joseph Cross, CEO